This is an especially hard memorial post. Not only was Dobby a superior capybara, but he was also Caplin Rous’ younger brother. And if that weren’t enough, he died on July 9th, one day before Caplin Day, which would have been Caplin’s 11th birthday. Dobby, whose birthday was Feb. 14, 2009, was 9.5 years old when he died.

One of the services provided by the ROUS Foundation for Capybara Veterinary Medicine (RF) is the performance of necropsies on capybaras. We do this because without knowing why capybaras die, we can’t know how to keep them alive. Dobby lived to a respectable age, but of course we would have liked him to live longer. Forever, if possible.

Preliminary results of Dobby’s necropsy show that he died from hepatitis. This is the same thing that killed Caplin Rous. Since they were full brothers, this is suspicious, but without more data it is hard to draw solid conclusions. Please consider making a donation.

In April this year, I had the privilege of visiting a very famous capybara, Dobby Winnick. Of course, Dobby and I are not strangers. We have met two other times, once when he was an infant, and once in August of 2014. Every time, Dobby was the cutest capybara around, and not just because he was the only capybara around. Continue reading “A Visit With Dobby” »

In case you hadn’t noticed, tomorrow is Caplin Day! Get out your popsicles, blueberries, swiss chard, spinach, pears, or other goodies beloved by capybaras and prepare to party! Don’t forget to jump in the pool and roll around. Or take a mud bath, if you prefer! It’s going to be a worldwide celebration.

There is not going to be a Countdown to Caplin Day: 1 because we will be out celebrating.

Just how wonderful are capybaras? Yes, they should be on the cover of National Geographic Magazine. That goes without saying.But how much more wonderful is a capybara than you are? Or do you imagine yourself to be the more wonderful? Before you answer that, you should read this poem.

Caplin Day is the perfect excuse to visit a zoo to see some capybaras. Or you could “adopt” or sponsor a capybara at a zoo or wildlife park. Be sure to mention that you are there specifically to see the capybaras. We need to make zoos aware that capys are the favorite animal of a lot of people.